The Alternate Destiny I Was Given
by Golden-Geared-Wings
Summary: Episode 5x07 AU: Damon arrives just in time and manages to convince Amara out of suicide. But what happens when Amara decides to stay? Amara joins our main heroes throughout their troubles, and grows attached to the blue eyed Salvatore that saved her life in the process. Damara friendship, and Delena pairing. (BEING REWRITTEN, SEE CH.11 FOR MORE INFO)
1. Prolouge: Two Thousand Years

**Writer's Comments be down below, if ya wanna know what I gots to say! Lol.**

**Enjoy~**

* * *

The ones that carefully placed that nimble, small framed body in that crate, and left her as storage thought she was just a statue. _A graven image as meaningless as the frivolous affair of relocating it._

A slab of stone, perfectly molded into a beautiful girl…one could swear it could just open its eyes and walk around. But still, they brushed it off-brushed her off-as an insignificant piece of artwork. To be placed in a New Jersey private storage, untouched and forgotten. After all, it was just a job. _A mere insignificant task, blind eyes turned, no questions asked._

But did they ever truly wonder about the girl trapped in the stone? The girl that loved, and was tormented in the name of that love? _The girl fallen prey to desire? The poor naïve young maiden that was tempted by cruel passion?_

No, of course they didn't. They wouldn't. The sorceress she once called her friend had ensured that.

And so she suffered.

Suffered immobile for two thousand years, aware of every millisecond of pure agony that had passed her by, not even sparing so much as a pitiful glance.

Not even the endless souls that pass through her knew of her pain. The girl that was left eternally blind, eternally mute.

The girl that could not weep, cry, nor scream.

This was truly the hell worthy of the name.

Even Death itself had ignored her desperation, even as she welcomed it with open arms. And she knew Death craved her soul to take. The forbidden fruit they could touch not, neither God nor Death made any attempts on her life. They had left her to the mercies of her suffering. _Would they have even answered?_

This was Quetsiyah's eternal satisfaction. Everlasting vengeance at her own expense. Immortality was acquired, but she would suffer through every second. Forever. _It hurts so much, it just hurts, oh god, Oh god ohgodohgodohgod…._

She could no longer think for herself, not anything except the pain. Not Silas, not Quetsiyah, nothing. No one.

And the two thousand years she has spent here? Insignificant. Nowhere remotely close to the endless pain filled sentence she still had to endure._ Time has no meaning here, not one significant meaning. _

Something she and time had in common, she mused. They were both negligible. They were the dew that gathered on the grass without anyone knowing, without anyone caring. Because the inevitable truth was that no one gave a damn.

And she was completely and utterly alone.

_Always alone. Always…always…_

* * *

**And that, folks, was the prolouge~**

**Ya like? Ya likey? :D**

**The reason I created this story was basically because I immediately fell in love with Amara within the two episodes they showed her in! XD And because she had some brief meetings with Damon that punched me in the feels. If you ask me, I wish TVD had let her live. They had such potential with her character! And c'mon. Ya can't just give me that cute first meeting with Damon, and that SCENE WHERE DAMON WAS THE ONE THAT WAS WITH HER UNTIL SHE DIED, without me wanting a friendSHIP.**

**So this will all be the Season 5 and beyond if Damon had saved Amara...so this'll be fun!**

**And like my other stories, this will definitely be a little slow update-wise. Reviews may help speed them up. **

**And lastly, if anyone would be willing to help me with the development of this story slash creation, please feel free to pm me. **

**Later dearies~**

**-Golden**


	2. Opened Eyes to a New World

For two millenniums, she could feel everything she could not see. Her nerves were overactive by this point, preparing her body for the excruciating pain that mentally brought her to her knees. So she was well aware of what she would feel when a soul would pass through. Hell, she was her own eyewitness to it. There was absolutely no way of avoiding it.

There would always be the pain, and so the only way she could pass time is to count her own heartbeats between souls. Sometimes they came all at once, barely giving her racing heart a second to have a reprieve. Sometimes it took several hundred heartbeats before she even felt the impression of a hand of the soul she could get a glimpse of in her mind's eye before they passed over. She never forgot a face...and she happened remember all the dead ones, these days.

And so the pattern went on. The pounding in her chest was the only proof she still lived, and the pain she could still contemplate was the only thing she could feel. That was the only system she had. The only thing she had left in the cruel, merciless world.

* * *

_"Think about it, Damon," Tessa spoke in a reprimanding monotone that a mother would use to scold her child with, "The Travelers aren't fans of immortality. I had to bind the Other Side to something that would last forever, something Silas couldn't destroy." She sounded almost amused with the concept, he could swear she was rubbing her hands together deviously._

_"What, his favorite childhood sled?" Damon asked meaning to be joking, although at this point, he was just too tired and frustrated to put any more effort into looking for that all powerful anchor._

_"Something a little closer to his heart," He wasn't mistaken, that was definitely amusement now. "Two thousand years old, immortal, indestructible. You're a quick boy, Damon. Figure it out." She hung up on him, leaving him to stew with that little significant cliffhanger she had presented to him._

* * *

Silas pulled and tore at the hinges of a tall, and otherwise untouched crate. He didn't know why, but this crate in particular gave out a sort of air of importance. _Perhaps the anchor? _

* * *

_"No way." _

_"What?" Jeremy asked, confused as to what left the vampire dumbfounded._

_"Not possible," a stunned Damon spoke in grim realization, "Tessa may be insane, but she's a bona fide genius." His blue eyes were widened in astonishment, his brows furrowed. It was all coming together, the puzzle pieces fit to perfectly to neglect this. He spoke again, still not looking at Jeremy. "Two thousand years old. Immortal. Indestructible..._

_"The anchor isn't a thing._ It's a person._"_

* * *

Silas had succeeded in unhinging the front of the crate. He tossed the wooden frame aside as he gave the crate a questionable glance. There was quite a bit of straw in there, he reached his hand in. He grabbed handfuls of it and discarded it onto the floor.

His fingers came into contact with stone as he continued removing the excess straw. But who on earth would go through this trouble to hide a _statue_?

_Hmmm. It seems we have a winner. _Silas thought excitedly, as he dislodged the straw from the anchor. This was it, after all these years, he would finally get the chance to once again look upon the sweet, beautiful face of his darling-

He stopped in his tracks.

Now that he had a better look at the statuesque anchor, he felt like he was just stabbed repeatedly in the stomach. He couldn't believe his eyes, there was no way...his eyes had to be deceiving him...! That had to be the explanation for this. But still, the resemblance was too analogous for him to disregard.

"Amara..."

* * *

For two millenniums, she could feel everything she could not see. Her nerves were overactive by this point...

* * *

"She never killed Amara." _Damon turned to glance at Jeremy, and gave him a smirk that mirrored the grim look in his eyes._

* * *

Six hundred sixty-five heartbeats. Six hundred sixty-five times she felt her heart beat through her fingertips, her neck, and her ears. Six hundred sixty-five times until she felt something other than her own blood at her lips. Something other than her own blood pulsing through her body. _It's a trick, a jest of liars, all the liars…liars, don't believe them._

But her lips that were sealed together by stone were…softening against this unknown substance until she could actually…open her lips for the first time. For the first time in what felt like forever, she could feel her lips open. She could feel this warm liquid fall into her mouth, and so she swallowed in large gulps. _Oh, it feels good, it feels so good…O sweet ecstasy…._

And it wasn't just her lips that were reviving. Slowly, she could feel her fingers receiving some mobility after being sealed against her chest for so long. Within seconds, she felt the stone release its tight grasp against her arms until she had complete control of her left arm and could cradle the source of melodious moisture closer to her lips.

She could feel the last bits of stone tearing itself off of her back, so she could arch her neck downward towards the source. She felt her hair fall softly against her back, and even her dress was no longer strangling her body with stone. The last bits were disappearing from her face…

"…mara….it's me…"

This sound was so faint in her ears, she almost didn't hear it. She almost didn't let herself believe it, two thousand years and her mind was still playing tricks on her. _The mind is the cruelest enemy, it quickly became mine. _She nearly let herself believe that it vaguely sounded like…a voice…?

_Impossible…So many voices now, and some sound more alike than others…_

The hardened clay around her eyes quickly lessened until it finally perished out through her eyelashes.

For the first time in two millenniums her doe brown eyes opened to the new world she didn't recognize in the slightest…

* * *

**So that was chapter one! Yeah, the next few chapters will be a few recaps from "Handle with Care" and "Death and the Maiden" until we can finally get to our AU. I just want to be sure it completely makes sense to why Amara decides to stay later on. **

**And I apologize in advance for the slow update, and future possible slow updates to come. **

**Like I said, reviews definitely help speed up those updates! And thanks to all of you who did review, follow, and favorite. There's been some great support for this story idea, and it makes me that much more confident about continuing. **

**Until next update~!**

**-Golden **


	3. Identity Disorder

Now that all the stone that covered her from head to toe was gone in the wind, her body suddenly felt oddly indecent, almost naked without it.

Amara couldn't even keep her eyes open for longer than a few seconds. The light she had spent her life hiding from was blinding to her eyes, no matter how dim it may be. _Like a warrior's sword sheathed for far too long, its wielder knows not what is to be done with the tool, rendering it a hopeless endeavor…_

Her entire body was sore, and she was breathing in large gasps of air as if she would never breathe again. She felt like every step she took was like she was a newly born lamb taking its first small hoof steps towards either the loving side of the mother, or the butcher. _Likely the latter._

She was forced from the shadows into light, and the effects were overwhelming her. _Everything hurts, It's hurting me, where have I gone?_ Being woken up from a life of painful lucid dreaming was one thing, but now her body was still too heavy. She should have dropped to the ground but somehow she was…floating. Or rather, some external force was lifting her up as if by a divine entity that was taking her to a land the Great Flood had purged and fell. Where she would never be embraced by the vile fingers of Pain, emotionally or physically.

"You're okay," There was that voice again, she thought.

It was surely a comforting figure, that the person cradling her frame wasn't trying to cause her pain, but she thought better of it. She had stood upon and lost hope in rescue a long time ago. She would be constrained to abide by her naivety until the end of time. _The neglected and still remains constant to turn a blind eye._

"Go away," Amara barely got out a whisper, in fear of and in too much agony to acknowledge the person breathing against her ear any further. "Go away, leave me alone…" She attempted to push the vocal force aroint.

"No, no, no. It's okay…" The voice spoke in a sort of compassion, patience such as a father uses to frighten their child's nightmares to its core, no matter how frustrating the child. "Who are you talking to, huh? It's me…it's me…."

_So many voices, so many voices, and yet the lone one hither speaks as… _"S-Silas…?"

"It's me…" His voice was clearer to her now as he repeated his comforting words. _Is he…?_

"How is this possible…?" Amara inquired, whispering. Her head leaned on his supporting shoulder, and she spoke softly in a more controlled voice. "How are you here? After all this time…" He stopped in place as he tried to get her on her feet next to what she assumed to be a metallic crate, and she leaned her left arm against it. She tried to calm her breathing.

"I thought you were dead," Silas informed her behind her head, trying to cover up the hint of regret she heard in his tone. "Tessa said she killed you." _Tessa? Who's…?_ "She held your heart in her hands…" _Does he mean Qetsiyah?_

"She lied," Amara explained as calmly as she could as she turned to face him, "She couldn't kill me, there was only one cure…" Her voice grew weaker with the grief., "She wanted it for _you_…" Her eyes turned away from his, and trailed down his body, still debating whether this was a dream, or if anything else was even a reality.

"I took it…" Her eyes came to meet his slowly this time, his eyebrows furrowed in shame and dark green eyes filled with so much pain.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I wanted to be with you, I wanted to be at peace with you."

"The cure runs through your veins," She deduced in a whisper, searching his face that filled with shame.

"I was ready to die for you."

Amara sighed, closing her eyes in understanding and put her arms around him trying to comfort him as much as she could and he did the same. She opened her eyes over his shoulder and noticed some broken glass scattered on the flattened cardboard on the dumpster. She released one of her arms from Silas' back and reached for one of the larger shards.

"I love you, Silas," she told him as her hand clenched the shard and brought it closer to his back. She grabbed it with her other hand as her left curved around Silas' neck. He still embraced her lovingly.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered in his ear and before she could even stop to see him react, she thrust the glass in the side of his neck in one swift motion. She heard him gasp.

"I have to be cured…" She grasped his hair tightly and brought her mouth to the wound, rubbing her teeth against it so she could receive as much of the cure as possible. He gasped further in pain as she drank. She swallowed in large gulps until she felt like she had enough to give her a human lifespan.

Amara released her lips from his neck, and Silas groaned painfully. She stepped back, taking his face into hers. His eyes were closed, and his head swayed a bit. He opened his eyes, but they involuntarily wouldn't meet her face.

"I can't live…another day…" Her bloodstained lips spoke and her eyes looked at him nervously as her breathing quickened.

* * *

Amara ran the moment Silas fell to the blood loss. Granted, she was no where close to the right state of mind to plan her escape. There were so many wooden crates around her and they confused her plans of escape. _Where do I go, where are the doors…? My head hurts so much…_

Her body wasn't faring well either, she kept stumbling with no sense of direction, and her back gave up on standing her completely straight up. Her knees were begging to give out beneath her, but she would still proceed.

And then she heard things again. The voices of the dead and damned, and they reprimanded her for infinite amount of things, it seemed. They questioned her love for the man she stabbed in the neck, and they scolded her for wanting to embrace death when she still held the Other Side in her hands.

"Stop talking…" She tried to silence the head- splitting voices. She rested her back against a crate for a few seconds, breathing heavily, and closing her eyes until she willed herself to go on. "It's not up to you…!" She tripped over her own feet. "Leave me alone-!" She shouted, but her voice dwindled down to a whisper again,. "Leave me alone, leave me alone," she repeated over and over, aloud and internally, frightened of the noise, scared of her surroundings, and terrified she would faint now. "Leave me alone! I said- leave me alone…" _Goawaygoawayleavemeleavemeleaveme…._

She placed her hands against her head, and she tried to keep herself standing with every bump against her back and contact she made with her fingers. _If only everything would just stop spinning…God, go away…! _

Her eyes kept searching around the unfamiliar place, across the wooden crates and boxes for any exit whatsoever. Her eyes kept roaming, roaming, until they swiftly made contact with something, at someone in front of her, and the voices finally stopped.

She stopped and stood in place so that she could see more clearly.

It was a man in front of her. She had to admit that he was rather handsome, he reminded her of what one of her gods might have looked like. He had short black hair that fell against alabaster skin. His face looked like what a sculptor could only dream to even come close to creating. His widened eyes were a light color, although she couldn't tell in the dim lighting exactly what color. He was wearing some kind of outfit that was unrecognizable, but he had a strong build, she thought. _He looks as strong as Ares or even Apollo, but he could surpass either in beauty… _Her traitorous voice whispered in her mind.

Amara's eyes gave him a glance upward and downward. "Are you real?" she asked him in a somewhat stronger voice then when she was with Silas, but soft enough so she didn't feel like she would offend him. She took a step closer to look at him closely.

His eyes still stared at her in confusion, and he spoke in a voice that was somewhat more calming in her ears. "Are _you_?"

She inhaled and exhaled carefully.

* * *

**So here we go guys! Chapter 3!**

**So for the chapter name here, I used "Identity Disorder" by Of Mice and Men. And yeah, you'll be seeing a lot of song names or references from mah favorite bands, which are mainly rock/metal/screamo. :D**

**Yeah! Let me know what you guys think should happen in this story, I'll happily take suggestions! **

**So...should next chap be in Damon, Elena, or Amara's POV? **

**Until next chapter, dudes!**

**-Golden**


	4. The Depths

He thought he would be used to this by now.

In his entire existence, he had met that face twice on two entirely different women, centuries apart. And he had kept his composure even when he came to this realization three years ago: that the two were not one in the same.

However, this was not one of those times. Amara's presence shocked him in a way it hadn't with Elena before. But it didn't make sense to him. He had already been told that Katherine and Elena's faces were all tracked down to the very girl that stood before him, Amara. So he had known what to expect when he had realized that she had been the anchor to the Other Side.

Except he hadn't. She had come stumbling about, bloodstained mouth mumbling mantras of "leave me alone" and "go away", and it looked like she was running away from something. His first guess was that Silas had been the perpetrator behind her fear, but no one was trailing behind her or shouting her name. She was frantically searching around until her eyes had fallen upon him and she stopped in her tracks, a few paces in front of him.

Damon was stunned, to say the least. He wasn't sure if it was because he'd already seen this coming, he knew what to expect... So why did he feel this way? He quickly brushed it off, deciding that it was probably because actually seeing it for himself and believing it were two completely different things entirely.

And from the looks of it, his presence threw Amara for a loop as well. He watched as she studied him with seemingly innocent curiosity. She asked if he was real.

He replied, "Are _you_?"

She breathed carefully as she stared at him, either misunderstanding his question or not listening. Amara shook her head, and willed herself to look at his face.

"Wh-Who are you…?" She asked nervously, confusedly. She tried to step closer to Damon, but she tripped over on wobbly legs and fell on her knees. He stepped over and helped her to her feet, supporting her upper body with his left arm.

He quickly surveyed the area to be sure Silas wasn't within earshot. When he was positive that it was all clear, he advanced forward intending to take Amara to the car. If Jeremy wasn't already there, he would phone him up and hope he answered.

"That doesn't matter right now," Damon responded to her earlier question. He wanted to be sure exactly what happened to her before he loaded her with unnecessary or overwhelming thoughts. "You have to listen to me, okay? Stay with me, stay with me…" He shook her gently when she looked like she would pass out in his arms. "What's your name?" He already knew, but he wanted to be sure she still did.

"A-Amara…" Good, he thought.

"That's good, that's good. Hey," He was halfway to the car now, "Hey, do you remember someone named Silas? Yeah?" She nodded her head, "Okay, do you know where he is right now?" From her blood stained lips, though, he probably had a good guess.

"I-I…I don't…" Amara shook her head, shutting her eyes tightly. Her legs were wobbly beside his, so he bent down and put his right arm behind her legs before scooping her up and carrying her rest of the way. He rested her head on his chest for more comfort.

"It's alright," He told her, "Can you tell me what happened to you?" He asked, even though he had a pretty good idea of what she would have gone through before Silas woke her up.

_She's the anchor to the Other Side_, he knew, _And though it may come as a shock, I doubt that she donated her body to the cause willingly. Tessa would have had to…immobilize her somehow, so she wouldn't be able to dangle the only thing she still held over Tessa's head: the whole supernatural Deadman Wonderland._

"Qetsiyah…" Amara spoke in hushed tone, "…turned to stone and she…Silas…?" Alright, so could pretty much consider his suspicions confirmed, but he still wondered…What did they do to you?

"He…I, we all…? W-What are you…what are you talking about…?"

They had gotten to the van, and Damon pulled out the keys to open the trunk. Once the trunk door wavered open, he placed Amara in and sat her up as best he could.

"Hey, hey, look at me," he placed his hand against her face and willed her to look at him. He was trying to be considerate to her, and yet he couldn't even tell if he had done or was doing anything that upset her. He wasn't familiar with this at all, he wasn't used to being the supporting type.

Amara groggily turned her head to stare at him in what looked like some form of skepticism, which was perfectly understandable, he thought. One psychopath to greet her when she wakes up, and another one putting her in the trunk of his car? Seems like something you'd see on a bad dramatization commercial of the _Investigation Discovery_ channel.

"You're gonna be fine," Damon really hoped he wouldn't have to compel her into believe so. She has already had enough supernatural adventures to last her for a loooonng while. "We're gonna get you out of here. Away from all this, and Silas, okay? You don't have to-"

"Silas...?" Amara looked at him in confusion, that quickly turned to horror with every mention of his name, "Silas? Silas? Silas-?! _SILAS!_" She looked as if just saying his name would summon his spirit to attack her. She pushed Damon away with all the force her exhausted body could still withstand, and propelled herself from the trunk. Damon was temporarily taken back for a second, but recovered quickly. Amara didn't.

She stumbled as she has before, but this time, all of her exhaustion came down her small figure and she fell over. She was breathing heavily as she attempted to pull herself back up, but found that she was firmly placed to the ground and physically could not stand up. She extended her long arms in front of her, trying to crawl, he guessed.

Damon sighed. He was trying to avoid hurting her this whole time, but it was painfully obvious that Amara wouldn't accompany him while in a conscious state of mind.

_Sorry, kiddo_, He mentally apologized to her before he blurred from behind and thrust his muscular arm around her neck. She let out a small yelp as he exerted a general amount of pressure, and she tried to pry his arm off with her tiny hands. She wasn't strong enough to pull his arm away and he only stopped when her breathing slowed down and she went limp in his grasp.

She wasn't dead. He could still faintly her heart beat, her _human_ heart, he realized. But it was alright, he didn't want her to die just yet. Anchor or not, she didn't deserve this.

He immediately stopped then, and lowered the arm he used to strangle her and repositioned it over her stomach. He stood up, with Amara under one arm while bending his other arm under her legs, and proceeded to lift her up and carry her right back to the trunk.

Once he laid her gently down, that's when he heard footsteps coming towards the van. He looked to see Jeremy jogging over to Damon from the front of the warehouse.

Judging from the concerned expression on the young man's face, he was probably hoping Damon found Amara so they could figure out just what the hell was next. When he caught up to Damon, his eyes fell upon the unconscious form of Amara sprawled out in the trunk.

"Is she...?" Jeremy began to question, but stopped when he realized that even he didn't know where he was going with said question.

"Alive?" Damon kept his eyes on Amara as well, with a look of uncertainty. "Yes. The face that started it all? Also yes. She just narrowly escaped a relationship that just didn't work out." Damon reached in the trunk for the pile of rope near the back of the seating. "Help me hold her down. We'll have to tie her up for the rest of the trip." He climbed in and meanuevered his way the back where Amara's head was.

Jeremy looked at him reprimandingly, "You can't be serious, right? What next, we gonna toss her in the forest with the rest of them?"

"All that time being the anchor screwed her up, Gilbert." Damon replied, choosing to ignore the hunter's snide comment, "This will hold her down long enough until we get home. We'll decide what to do with her from there. And hand me that cloth right there." He pointed to the rag over in the left corner, "We can't let her bite her tongue."

* * *

"Stefan Salvatore sleeps in his own bed tonight. Does that mean he stopped hating us, or did the power of the doppelgänger universe push him in the car with you?"

Elena gave a glance to Damon and Jeremy, who obviously heard the questionably friendly sap between her and Stefan. Okay, she guessed she deserved that. She was the one who chose to believe Tessa, which was in retrospect not her smartest decision, and nearly screwed up any chance they had of getting Bonnie back.

_God, what the hell was I thinking anyway? I sounded like a crazy jealous, stalker bitch! What was I even gonna do if amnesiac Stefan really did sleep with her? Scold him? Jesus..._

Internally shaking her head at her own stupidity, she adjusted her top and walked toward the couch where Damon was sitting.

"Well," Elena explained, sitting down next to Damon and crossing her legs, "He, uh, saved my life. So, I'll take that as _not_ hate." She interlaced her fingers and dropped her hands between her legs.

"A victory in a day otherwise marred by failure," Damon sourly commented with a tilt of his bourbon toward Jeremy, who raised his own glass in response. Elena glanced at Jeremy for an explanation.

"We couldn't get Bonnie back," Jeremy bleakly acknowledged her, "I get a pass."

"Did I say anything?" She inquired, feigning offense.

For a few seconds, silence filled the foyer until Jeremy spoke again, suddenly.

"No," he muttered annoyedly, to no one in particular, "No, I won't because it's not."

"What?" Damon spoke up, and gave an interrogative look towards Jeremy while Elena had the same amount of confusion on her face.

Jeremy spread his arms in a conceding gesture and smiled sarcastically, "Bonnie's here." Elena's eyes searched the foyer as if she could find some hint of her friend's presence- Jeremy continued, "She wants us not to worry."

"Don't worry, Bonnie," Elena spoke aloud to the air, but she knew she would be heard, "Okay? It's not over." Her eyes wandered to Damon as she said, "We've dealt with much worse."

"Well," Damon spoke soberly, with a no-nonsense tone, "Silas is MIA and out and about, which is pretty bad." He pushed himself of the couch, "And Amara's been cured. Which is even _worse_, because that means she's easy to kill." His voice rose in a sense of disbelief, "So the fate of the Other Side, which Bonnie currently resides, rests on a living, breathing human that we need to protect."

Elena, who had been staring at the ground while Damon spoke, turned her face to look at him when something he said brought about some questions she should've asked earlier, about the living anchor. "_We_ need to protect?"

Damon put the bottle down on the coffee table and motioned her to follow him. He pulled out his keys from his back pocket and headed toward the front door as Elena got up off the sofa after him. Once outside, Damon lifted up the trunk of a large black van that contained a young woman, tied up and gagged, struggling to get free. Her unbrushed, wild, straight chestnut hair flew about her, and her legs were tangled within her dark rose colored toga. When the trunk lifted up, her chestnut eyes flew to Elena and widened, horrified.

"Elena," Damon said, "Meet Crazy Pants. Crazy Pants, meet Elena."

Elena stared at Amara in a stunned expression for what felt like a sickeningly familiar sense of déjà vu. It happened again, how the hell did this happen twice?

When Amara's eyes met Elena, she gave out a petrified shriek through the cloth tied over her mouth.

* * *

**Ugghhh, that took so loooonnnnggggggggg! Whyyyy?!**

**I'm sorry I got lazy near the end, I'll have this chapter beta read later, but I really couldn't wait to have this part up.**

**So how do you guys like that input I put in with Damon and Amara? I hope I made no one OOC. Anyway, please review what you think, and what should happen next! By next chapter we'll definitely have our AU, but please bear with me if it takes a bit too long again! :)**

**Also, big shout out to ElenaDSalvatore, who helped me sort out some of the events in this here chapter, definitely helped me sort out some stuff. :D Thanks, girl!**

**Chapter name is based of "The Depths" by Of Mice and Men.**

**Also, I'll be deleting that AN when I get enough reviews.**

**Until next update!**

**-Golden**


	5. A Product of Lust

This was still too confined to her, the dungeon they made her sleep on that following morning and the previous nightfall.

She at least counted her blessings that she could move this time, she could pace around, or sit down. But her hands were still bound behind her back, and no matter how hard she looked at it, she was still a prisoner in this place, and in her mind. _Trapped, trapped forever, why won't it end?!_

The deceased still whispered in her ear, most of the times they were disembodied. They were silent for most of the night, but she was too scared close her eyes for a second. She would still hear them in her dreams, and she didn't believe they would ever leave her alone, no matter how much she pleaded. _The cruel, taunting sounds that make my ears bleed, and they won't stop talking…_

Amara's whole body still felt stiffened and tense that she half expected to wake up from this delirious dream of escape, but even she, scatterbrained as she was right now, couldn't deny the cold, concrete floor beneath her feet that could've been stone. _Stone? Stone…I was, wasn't I? Stone? Stone…stone…oh god, oh god…_

And she felt the eyes of the damned trained on her, and one by one they started interrogating her again. She was on her feet in an instant, and paced in place as far as this tiny room would let her, trying to force all of the ghosts out of her mind.

Once again, there were questions she couldn't answer. Such as "Where are you?" and "How long have you known about the doppelgangers?", "Are they gonna kill you? What's gonna happen to us, then?!" "What the hell is Silas planning anyway?!"

"I don't know!" She snapped and whispered back at them, even though she herself didn't believe in the conviction in her words. _Don't believe in anything these days_... "I don't know!" She ran to the wall, which may have been metal or wood, and smacked herself against it with a hard _clang_! She thought if she hurt herself enough, it would eventually drown out the overcrowding voices clambering for her attention...or she would pass out trying.

"What's wrong with her?" Amara faintly heard some mumbling from her cellar door, but she couldn't see who was speaking. _That voice that sounds like...why must you taunt me like this?!_

"Tessa turned her into a block of rock," Another voice, another man, replied to his companion's question, "Left her in a box for two thousand years, probably went a little stir crazy like those deserted island guys who talk to volleyballs."

"_I said I don't know_!" She ran at the wall again at full speed with the same result. She was hyperventilating by now, taking shaky, quick breaths while making herself sick at the same time. She bent her legs to sit on the floor, but straightened herself up when she realized that it was only making it worse.

The two masculine voices behind the large metal door seemed to be loudest of everything she heard (and the only ones not trying to get her attention), so she tried focused in on them without looking at the door. Being the anchor, she supposed, had sharpened her hearing.

"So you're telling me," the first one spoke incredulously, "That _this girl_ is the only thing holding together the Other Side?" _But you should know that by now, don't you all know that?_

"Yep," the second replied in a calmer tone, "She's the anchor." _Can neither hear me? Do they know that I hear every word...?_ Apparently so, she thought. Neither two suspected that she, who heard the words and secrets of the dead, was eavesdropping on them...that or they thought she was too insane to pay them any mind.

"_Leave_...me alone," Amara once again attempted to silence the other whispers against her ears.

"As long as she's alive, the other side exists, and we can keep trying to get Bonnie from over there."

"_I said I don't know_!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, but she miscalculated her footing and tripped over her own two feet. And again when she tried to stand up without the benefit of her hands. Amara grunted at herself, thining what foolish sight this must have been. _But fools lose their minds, do they not? Death is the mayhaps the most merciful being to a fool that was made foolish with a fickle word such as "love"...and I am, in fact, a fool._

"Well," said the first one, "Considering she's immortal, I'd say we have plenty of opportunity." _No, I'm not...no longer...it worked, didn't it?_

"You'd think," replied the second, dejectedly, "Except last night she stuck a hole in Silas' neck, sucked the cure right out of him, so now she's not only nuts, she's mortal, which means we have to keep her ordinary little human heart beating until we get Bonnie back." _Bonnie..? What is..no...No! Please! No more! It doesn't matter anymore!_

Amara was now furiously trying to rub the pieces of rope the bound her wrists against each other. It would have had to come lose from the amount of pressure she was putting, especially with the scratchy material against her small, fragile hands gripping against-

She felt the rope loosen on her wrists.

"How would you plan to do that?"

"Silas made a pinky promise that he'd do a spell to bring her back. Unfortunately, he's taking his sweet time coming back to Mystic Falls."

Once Amara's hands were free, she immediately brought both wrists near her mouth and without hesitation, bit down on them until they started bleeding. She did this repeatedly, enlarging the bite marks and bloodying her teeth. _It has to be over soon, it has to be over soon..._

"Ahhggghh!" A frustrated groan and a metallic click from the oher side of the door, "Amara, stop!" The door opened to reveal the blue eyed man, who tied her up and made her ride in the dark. He advanced toward her, grabbing for her arms.

Amara screamed in horror as her wrists were pried from her, "_Nyyyaaahhh!_ No..!" He forced her to stand up, "...Nooo...! ..._Let_...me die! I want...to _diiiieee_!" She hyperventilated again as he spoke to his companion, who Amara didn't want to look in the eyes. _I don't want to...no, no...!_

"Let's hope love is blind," He paused, trying to keep Amara's arms from her face, "Or at least deaf."

* * *

Things were silent in the hours that followed, and her captors had retied her wrists in front of her this time. Although, the ropes still scratched her skin, so she would fumble with them, at the very least trying to loosen them.

This was when her second set of visitors came to see her.

There was a young woman with long, dark hair and caramel colored skin. She didn't attempt to make conversation with Amara when she stood in the doorway. Her eyes were solely focused on Amara, studying her it seemed. She was as uninterested in being the first to break the silence as Amara was, but something seemed off. Every time Amara's eyes flickered toward her, she never even gave a remote sign of being acknowledged. Maybe she was the stoic type, but even so, she acted like Amara was looking right through her. But her face was so devoid of emotion, it has hard for Amara to decipher her new supervisor.

Minutes later, a younger man showed his face. He had chestnut hair and eyes like Amara did, but unlike herself, he had a child-like face that seemed so used to smiling cheerful smiles, that's what she thought, anyway. He seemed like the opposite of his companion, who looked like she was so used to frowning.

"How's our mental patient doing?" He inquired of her, softly as to not scare Amara.

"I guess all those years alone finally sent her over the edge," the emotionless one explained calmly, maybe even sympathetically.

The younger man turned to Amara for the first time since his arrival, and approached her with something in his hands. Amara involuntarily flinched, as she eyed him warily.

"Relax," He told her, noticing her fidgety movements. He spoke in the same non-startling tone "I'm- I'm just bringing dinner..."

Amara watched him carefully put down the supper plate in front of her...He looked so familiar, she thought. Even when she sees a thousand different faces, she never forgets a single one.

"I know you," she decided, speaking aloud the young man, who looked unconvinced.

"I don't think so," he shook his head and moved his hands to hers to undo the ropes on her wrists. This time, she wouldn't struggle against him. There were too many unanswered questions, and two people her who might answer her for the first time in two days.

"You're the hunter," she explained, and the young hunter stared at her oddly. She added softly, "I never forget a face..." Now the silent companion stared at her as well, "...but Silas killed you." The two shifted, "You're dead..." Amara eyed the hunter questioningly.

"I was," He answered her, nodding gently, "I came back."

Amara looked away from him, staring at the stone floor as she let her train of thought flow about this new tidbit of information. She blinked slowly in questioning, "How?" she asked.

The hunter kept his eyes trained on her. But he didn't answer.

"I said how?" She turned her face towards him again, looking him in the eyes. When he still kept silent, her eyes shifted to his companion as she started to interrogate her. "It was you, wasn't it? You're a witch. You brought him back."

The witch's eyes widened in a combination of acknowledgement and shock.

"You can see me?" She asked just as calmly as Amara did, although her face suggested otherwise.

"Of course I can see you, I'm not blind," Amara smiled awkwardly, "I have eyes."

The witch stared down at the floor nervously, and the hunter turned his head frantically looking at his companion, and then Amara.

"Or are you dead...?" Amara spoke to the witch again, slowly realizing her mistake. She shook her head, and in some kind of attempt of an apology, she sadly whispered, "I get so mixed up, I can't tell the difference between the living or the dead..." Her eyes darted to each of the cellar walls.

"Can you see people on the Other Side?" The hunter's voice rose on a tone of inquiry, probably wondering if she was a medium like he is. Oh yes, she didn't forget that he had once been like her, seeing individuals that no normal person would have seen otherwise. But _he_ was one of Qetsiyah's hunters...

"I am the _anchor _to the Other Side," Amara admitted shamefully, earning a concerned stare from the hunter. "I can see _everything_...!" Her voice broke off in a humiliated sob. She turned her face away from them, desperately trying to keep herself in check but this whole situation...it just wasn't _fair_...

She turned back her head just in time to feel the witch softly brush her fingers against Amara's shoulder. Amara gasped, "_Don't touch me!_" She tried to calm herself down when she realized she basically yelled at her, and this whole time she and her hunter companion have been nothing considerate to her, "Please don't-" She shook her head, "-don't touch me..."

"I can touch her..." The witch whispered, astonished.

"Okay..." The hunter remarked, "That's weird..."

Amara struggled to recompose herself, and once again, was beginning to hyperventilate.

"Jer...I think I've got an idea..."

* * *

**I would have added Tessa's encounter with Amara, but I've already procrastinated long enough as it is.  
**

**And I know I said I'd have our AU right here, but there just wasn't enough time.**

**But fear not! There will definitely be an AU by the sixth or seventh chapter. This is the fifth.**

**So I hope you guys enjoy what I've at least wrote this far, and know I definitely have not given up on this story. There will be week to month long intervals here and there..**

**But just keep looking at my profile for my Story Stats. As long as it says "_In-progress_" for this story, I _will_ keep working on it.**

**Don't forget to send some more ideas my way, I definitely read all reviews, even if I don't respond to you.**

**And don't forget to _REVIEW_! I want your guys' opinions!**

**Until next update~**

**-Golden**

**P.S. Chapter Title based off of the lyrics of "Abigail" by Motionless in White**


	6. A Dark and Laughing Rain

It had neared nightfall when her last visitor came to see her, and probably the worst one yet.

Amara's captors had tied her to a chair in preparation for this, but whether that was the decision of her visitor or the blue eyed man (who seemed to be the mastermind behind her capture) she didn't know. The hunter and the witch wouldn't answer any more of Amara's questions, and the blue eyed man and his companion (who wore the face of the man she currently loved and hated the most) hadn't spoken to her since retying her ropes the first time.

_And the other girl,_ Amara thought, _She...she had my face...She must be my shadow self, but does she even know...? _Amara was unsure how much her doppelgänger knew about her. _But if she hates me...and I would hate me as well...I'm sure she knows the despair her face has caused..._

_And the blue eyed man's companion...he must be Silas' doppelgänger as well...They must truly hate us...hate me...for the misery we've caused after all. _

Even as she came to this conclusion, Amara had already decided. She decided that she wouldn't hate the doppelgängers, even if they did hate _her_. Everything they did, or would do from then on...Amara had no one but herself to blame. _I, the one who spit in the face of mortality, am the one who started this circle of despair. It's all my fault..._

For the third time that day, the cellar door screeched open, the rusted metal creaking in protest, to reveal the last person Amara wanted to see.

It was Qetsiyah, with Amara's doppelgänger in tow. Qetsiyah stared at Amara, and for a second, her eyes flickered with excitement at seeing Amara in her shameful display, it seemed. The doppelgänger said nothing as she led her in and gestured toward Amara, as if saying, "Here she is, in all her glory."

"That'll be all," said Qetsiyah, shooing the doppelgänger away as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Amara cringed, remembering the same coldness Qetsiyah used whenever she ordered her around, the tone she used just now to spite Amara. "_That'll be all._"

Amara payed especially close attention after the cellar door was shut. The doppelgänger stood outside the door, listening in on the both of them. For a split second, Amara hoped the door would reopen, the doppelgänger refusing to leave her alone with Qetsiyah even for a moment. The door didn't reopen, but the doppelgänger didn't leave either. _What's going through her mind right now, I wonder? Would she...com__e back in if Qetsiyah...?_

Qetsiyah kept her eyes on Amara from the moment she walked in through the door, smiling to Amara's surprise.

"Well, if it isn't the face that launched a thousand doppelgängers?" The sorceress greeted the handmaiden in a low, angry voice. She stepped closer to Amara and bended over slowly so she was leveled with Amara's face.

"A little birdie told me you aren't enjoying your immortal life." Now she sounded all too friendly, and all too joyful at Amara's expense. _Is this who you are now "friend"? Or was the whole delusion of friendship another one of your games in the first place?_

Amara turned her head away from Qetsiyah's mocking, remorseless gaze, but Qetsiyah grabbed her chin forcefully and immediately turned her back to meet her eyes. Her fingernails dug into Amara's skin, and her fingers tightened around Amara's jawline.

"_Two thousand years, and you have _nothing _to say to me_?! No _apology_?" She was really angry now, Amara guessed it was because she didn't already invoke a reaction from Amara. Truth be told, Amara _didn't_ want to say anything to her former mistress, in fact, she was hoping her silence would be what got her doppelgänger to intervene, getting Qetsiyah as far from her as humanly possible.

She wanted this all to just end, but she knew there was only one way to do that.

"...I'm sorry..."

"What was that?" _Liar, you heard me clearly...Just end this._

"I'm _sorry_..." There was only a bit more conviction in this, and a bit more shakiness.

"Oh..."

"That's what you want to hear, isn't it...? How I suffered...how every moment of my life has been a living hell?! It has!" Qetsiyah smirked, taking immense pleasure in watching Amara plead so pathetically, so desperately...Amara hated this, but she would indulge the sorceress a bit longer, if only to ask what she really wanted..."My sin was falling in love, and I've _learned _my lesson. You win. You _won. _Now _please _kill me. _Please. Please kill me!_"

There was a pause here, as Qetsiyah studied the handmaiden intently before speaking again. "Don't worry," she said, and without skipping a beat, continued, "When I make someone else the anchor, I _will_."

That was all she had to say, that was all Amara wanted to hear. But of course, Qetsiyah still had knives to stab in Amara's still sore wounds, of _course _she couldn't let Amara live in blissful ignorance.

"And since you're _nothing more _than a non-supernatural human_,_ _you'll_ pass on while _Silas_ is trapped on the Other Side. And then you and Silas? You're gonna spend eternity _apart._"

Amara couldn't do it anymore, she couldn't look her in the eyes anymore. She had already feigned the strength she had just to complete a sentence in front of _her_. And that final jab had broken her already shattered spirit, and she could feel herself starting to cry as tears threatened to fall right then and there. _Of course she wanted to see me crumble, well she got her wish...what more does she _want_?_

"And _that_," Qetsiyah condescended, "Is gonna be kind of fantastic...for _me._" Amara's eyes involuntarily flickered back to the witch, and she shrugged malevolently, "Selfishly speaking."

* * *

An hour and a half later, they had began the ritual for handing Amara's supernatural status to the dead witch she had met earlier.

Amara's doppelgänger had been the one to get her and explained the gist of the ritual. And much to Amara's shock, the doppelgänger was actually kind to her, gently untying her wrists, asking her if she was alright, and after talking, escorted her quietly to the drawing room.

"For the record, I am sorry," she had said to her afterwards, "For putting you in that cell, and for how you were treated since you...came back." She seemed unsure, it was like she was trying to tread carefully through thin ice, speaking to Amara. Like she was afraid Amara was going to shatter at the slightest touch. She shook her head, and turned towards Amara. "And, I'm really sorry for scaring you earlier...My name is Elena."

Amara bowed her head, showing that she appreciated her kindness. She was glad that at the very least, that Elena had been decent to her, especially after the emotional turmoil that was "Tessa's" visit.

Amara had a better look at Elena now, and noticed some differences. The doppelgänger seemed very brave, and confident in her strides. She seemed to be rather protective of Amara, regardless of their true connection to each other. Although, Amara admitted her doppelgänger did have a strange sense of fashion (if Amara had ever exposed her legs like that, it would have resulted in a severe whipping, or worse), but Amara wasn't really in palace to judge anymore, she supposed.

It seemed, at the very least, that Elena didn't harbor any resentment toward her.

_She talks to me like a small child, _Amara observed, _But I cannot say I am surprised...how could I seem to someone like her? She's so...beautiful and fair. She has my face, but it looks so mature on someone like her..._

"Alright," Elena said upon entering the drawing room, "We're here."

Inside the room, Qetsiyah was standing in front of a small table, as was another woman who turned at Elena and Amara in clear annoyance.

It was another one of Amara's doppelgängers. This one had a mass of messy curls that fell elegantly past her shoulders. She was wearing a long sleeved black shirt that was cut off at the elbows, and to Amara's shock, a pair of gray trousers.

"Took you the hell long enough," she immediately reprimanded Elena harshly, before giving Amara a glance over, "And you must be Amanda. No need for pleasantries, darling, I can hardly stand that copycat, " She gestured over at Elena, "enough as it is."

"Annnnnnd that's our asshole," Elena stated with a sarcastic smile, "Her name is _Amara_, and Amara, the birthing hips over there with the overdone makeup is Katherine."

Katherine scoffed at Elena, "And _that's _our sweet, innocent Elena, thinking she's such hot shit." She smiled bittersweetly and tilted her head, "Oh _cupcake, _it's like you think I won't stab you in the eyes with my heels."

"_Shut the hell up,_" Qetsiyah snapped, causing Amara to flinch and Katherine to stop talking. _I only remember her using that tone with servants who misbehaved...how could she...? _"You want the spell done? Stop dawdling and take your damn places."

Amara looked over at Elena, who looked back at her with assurance and placed her hand on Amara's shoulder in a comforting gesture. Elena stepped toward the table, as did Amara by her side.

Once the girls were gathered around, Qetsiyah pulled out the book of some sort and placed it on the table.

"What is that?" Amara asked.

"It's Bonnie's grimoire," Elena explained to her calmly.

"Grim- what?"

"It's a magic spell book," Katherine elaborated coldly before Elena could speak. She rolled her eyes and she muttered under her breath, "Idiot." Which earned an insulted look from Amara.

"It's a _talisman_," Qetsiyah commented, unimpressed with Katherine's answer, "Since Bonnie can't be here, her grimoire will have to do." She made a small gesture toward the book, "Hands in, palms up." She demanded of the doppelgängers.

Amara, Katherine, and Elena shared a three way glance with each other, unsure of who should go first.

Amara extended her arm shyly, but Qetsiyah impatiently snatched her wrist and sliced her palm. Amara gasped at the sudden action.

"Sorry, love," Qetsiyah feigned concern, "Did that hurt?"

Amara turned her palm over and let her blood drip on the blood stained pages. "I've been through worse." Her eyes flickered toward Qetsiyah bravely.

Elena looked at Amara, concerned, although Amara wasn't sure why.

"_Easy_, okay?" Katherine interjected warningly. "I'm fragile these days." She dramatically extended her hand.

Qetsiyah rolled her eyes, annoyed, and held the knife in front of her, facing down. Katherine _gripped_ the blade and _squeezed_ hard. Her blood dripped from the blade and the large gash on her hand. She pulled her hand away after a satisfactory amount of blood landed on the paper.

Elena seemed the most confident in stretching her hand out. Qetsiyah quickly punctured it with the tip of the blade. Smiling still, Elena turned her hand over towards the paper and looked over at Katherine mockingly.

"Show-off," Katherine grumbled.

As soon as Elena finished, Qetsiyah started chanting in ancient Latin. The blood on the paper started to form around the middle. The end result was a symbol that Amara recognized as the Celtic symbol "trinity". The candle lights brightened in frightening intensity with Tessa's chanting. The moment she stopped; however, the candles all flickered out.

"_No_..."

"Is it _done_?" Katherine questioned.

"No, it's not _done_," Qetsiyah snarled back.

As if to confirm the worst case scenario, the windows flew open with a strong gust of wind. The ceiling lights imploded on themselves as the wind blew harder. Elena and Katherine showed no signs of shock, looking at the chaos about them as if it were a minor inconvenience. Amara, on the other hand, flinched at every unfamiliar sound and occurrence frightened at whatever was causing this.

"What is happening?!" Elena shouted over roaring winds to Tessa.

"Silas is happening!" Qetsiyah shouted back before addressing the impending chaos, "_Show yourself, bastard!_"

The moment she said it, the last few lights blew out, engulfing the room in complete darkness. Before Amara could call for Elena, she felt a pair of strong arms restrain her body as a large hand covered her mouth before silently blurring out of the room.

* * *

**Wooooh! And yet another cliffhanger bites the dust! More coming sooon!**

**~Golden**


	7. Author's Note: New Chapter Ideas

**Please read through this as it involves some upcoming teaser for "The Alternate Destiny"! WARNING: Some swearing.**

**S'up dudes!**

**So I noticed that I didn't get many reviews for the newest chapter. I assume it was because many of you saw that I just had six chapters, so didn't look at it. If that's the case, well, there **_**is **_**a new chapter "Dark and Laughing Rain" on Chapter 6. The reason I don't have 7 chapters is because I deleted a previous Author's Note. **

**So go over and read and review please! I really wanna see some reviews!**

**Also, I have some ideas I wanted to use for this story:**

**FIRST off, I was asked about this, but Amara will not be ending up with Silas, or any of his doppelgänger linage. I'm sorry, but I want this story as canon as possible, while adding some of my ideas. Putting Amara up with Silas or even Stefan only promotes the "doppelgangers always ending up together thing", which I personally don't have a problem with, but I feel it would ruin a part of Amara's character.**

**I mean, we all remember season 4, where everyone was telling Damon, "Forget it Bruh, the power of Stefan's boner is stronger. Go fuck yourself." And Damon had to resist the urge to punch them all in the face. Well, Amara's basically going to crush that reality. What better way to say "Fate can go fuck itself in the asshole!" than the **_**very first immortal woman **_**to laugh in their faces and say, "Ships don't work that way, Bruh." Riiiight? Riiiight?**

**Although, I admit, I did like Tom Avery. He was a major oblivious sweetheart that did nothing wrong. I role played Amara with him once, and the result was **_**adorable!**_ **I wouldn't mind if Amara ended up with him, but sadly, his existence ruin the rest of the canon plot because reasons. The only reason Amara will be fine is because, technically she doesn't really count as a doppelgänger if she was the first. I dunno. That traveler stuff was a bit confusing. **

**I'm sorry to those of you who were hoping for Simara or Stamara. But as far as Stefan goes, Amara is going to have a difficult time learning to trust him and accept being friends. So for now, things are gonna be hella tense.**

**SECOND, Amara's life with MFG. It goes without saying that Amara's gonna have a tougher time learning to understand the modern world. She's not a witch, and she doesn't have the magical mind reading abilities Silas had to blend in before. So I wanted the gang to help her in various ways. She's temporarily gonna borrow Elena's pre-vampire clothes until Caroline takes her shopping. :D**

**Also! Bonnie got her hair cut the episode after she came back. I'm wondering whether Amara should have gone with her to get her hair cut. I've read that in Ancient Greece, women would cut their hair if they were in mourning. And since Silas was basically killed in front of her, she might be in a bit of mourning. **

**But Bonnie looked like she got her hair cut in the **_**morning, **_**and I doubt that Amara wanted to get up early after the disastrous days she had. I'm debating whether Amara should get her hair cut with Bonnie, or if I should put that off until later. And yes, I do want her to get her hair cut, because I had a cute hairstyle in mind.**

**OKAY that's all I got for now! Review and send some more ideas my way, or even suggestions! And don't worry! I'm almost on summer vacation, so near mid July, the next chapter should be up.**

**Later dudes,**

**-Golden**

**PS: I also have my VD Oc story, "Between Hope and Forever" that could use some extra ocs and ideas! Check that out too if you get a chance!**


	8. I still feel you, in my bones

When Amara came to, she realized they were somewhere in the woods. Silas' doppelgänger released her from his grasp (he was surprisingly gentle with her on the way here) momentarily and stood in front of her with his back turned to her. His right hand was holding something against his ear, but she couldn't quite make out what it was. It was dark after all, and after two thousand years of living in the dark, he was the one with the advantage. _I can't run away, can't run, he'd find m__e stumbling in the dark..._

"_Sucky timing, Stefan._"

She heard a voice coming from the device that she probably wouldn't have heard if not for her hearing. Silas was speaking to the doppl- or rather, Stefan, as it seemed he called her current abductor. She continued listening to the conversation as she observed their surroundings.

"I disagree," Stefan informed him emotionlessly, "I have Amara just beyond the property line. You have ten minutes to come find us."

"_Well, I'm a little busy right now watching my nemesis bite it_." Silas filled him in, "_Plus, I have no interest in saving Amara's life._" His voice grew cold at mentioning her name.

Amara didn't expect that to hurt as much as it did, coming from Silas. She wasn't an idiot, she had heard rumors of Silas from the dead ever so often, and none of them were ever good. These rumors quickly became truth with the announcement of Silas' return to the living, from his _victim_, the hunter.

Silas had became a monster after two thousand years, and it had not been for the better. Even when he had said he had done it all for her, it did not excuse him for the things he had done to reunite with her. But even so, she was still ashamed to admit that she still loved him. _If I was fated to love him, then I was doomed from the start._

"I know that," Stefan replied irritatedly, "Which is why I'm gonna take her away, and I'm gonna keep her alive by any means possible while everyone else hunts you down like an animal. You now have nine minutes."

He ended his conversation with Silas and put the communication device in the back pocket of his trousers.

Amara ended up being tied up and gagged again, with rope, against a tree a few feet from where they had previously stood. Stefan intended on leaving Amara as bait to lure out Silas while he lied in wait somewhere, it seemed. He had left a while ago, and she had not heard a sound from him since, so she assumed he was pretty far away.

She was left alone.

She didn't know what Stefan was planning, and she had no idea if Silas would come and negotiate with him. And she was scared. She was scared of what would happen if Silas came, and she was scared of what would happen if he didn't. She was even more terrified of the creeping noises of the woods surrounding her.

All of these thoughts were put to rest when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her. The owner of the footsteps stopped in front of her and looked her over. The owner seemed like he almost didn't recognize her until she looked him in the eyes.

"Amara..." Silas breathed out, relieved. His hand immediately went to her wrists, undoing the knots on the ropes binding her hands. Once he loosened the rope, he pulled the gag off her mouth. She gasped for air, and he rested his palm against the side of her face. She stared at his face for a moment, and returned the gesture, taking his face in her hands as well.

"_I loved you_," She sobbed, even as she tried to tried to hold him just once more, and be the one who was comforting him. She couldn't bear the pain on her love's face, "I still do...but I _can't live_...any longer. Please understand...?"

The silence, and the utter devastation on Silas' face broke her heart all over again. She closed her eyes, crying for him, and crying for herself as she put her forehead against his. His thumbs rested against her chin for a few moments, and he pulled back so he could look at her face.

"I understand."

She opened her eyes and looked up at him meekly. He searched her face in sympathy and despairing tenderness.

"I love you."She blinked in understanding, and nodded. Thank_ yo__u, Silas...I love you too. That's all I ever wanted..._Her hands fell against his shoulders as he reached for something in his pocket. His other hand fell against Amara's neck as the object in his right hand clicked.

Silas angled the knife at her throat. She looked at his face, for possibly the last time, and closed her eyes. She was ready for it all to be over. Silas loved her, she had made peace knowing that.

She heard Silas's unsteady breathing and opened her eyes when the knife made no contact with her skin. She ached at the despair in his eyes.

"Silas, _please_," She whispered pleadingly as he shook his head. "I'm ready." Her breathing was just as unsteady as his.

Silas looked pained and groaned as he forced the knife against Amara's neck. It successfully made a cut and blood had already started trickling down her throat. Her breathing finally calmed down, and Silas closed his eyes preparing to finish this for real.

In an instant, he was forcefully pulled back away from her and throw against a nearby tree. He was held up by his neck, courtesy of his attacker. Before Amara could register what had happened, she heard Stefan's voice.

"_Do you remember me?_" Stefan infuriatedly questioned the warlock who was growing limp in his grasp as he forced him upward, "I remember you." Amara heard Silas groaning, "Oh, I'm sorry, is it hard to breathe?" She could hear Stefan apply more pressure on Silas' neck, "Is your throat closing? Did the fear of dying start to creep in yet?"

Within a few seconds, she heard Silas being released from his hold and the sound of someone stumbling backwards and groaning painfully. Silas must be using magic on him, she thought. Her hands rushed to her sides and struggled to undo the rope holding her waist against the tree.

"I hear every emotion is heightened for a vampire," Silas retorted angrily, "All those memories must be eating you alive right now, _Stefan_. What's it like to die? I've never done it. You've must have done it a thousand times over this summer."

"Stop it!"

"_Stop_? I've spent two thousand years alone in a tomb. You were locked for what? Three months? _Look at you_! You're a _mess_. The safe was the easy part, wasn't it? Being forgotten about, that's the _real_ torture isn't it?"

Amara got the ropes off just in time to witness Stefan look over to find the knife next to him. He grabbed it and threw it directly into Silas' chest.

"_Silas_!" She cried out. She ran over when Silas slumped down against the tree and his head fell against his shoulders.

Amara immediately felt it.

The feeling of her entire body being ripped apart from the inside. The feeling she got when a soul passed through her. She doubled over in excruciating pain, crying until it left her body as quickly as it had come.

She heard the sounds of Silas's doppelgänger stumble over and pass out on the ground, but she didn't look over at him. She kept her eyes solely of her tormented love, who was now dead when she was supposed to be. She slowly stepped forward and kneeled in front of him.

Amara gazed at him with the same sympathy and tenderness he had when she pulled the knife from his chest. Her eyes flickered toward the knife for a few seconds before looking back at Silas. She put her hand against his face, and smiled reassuringly.

"Our eternity starts now."

She turned the blade toward her chest and took in her last breaths before she-

"No!"

She barely had time to think before the knife went flying out of her hands and she was pinned to the ground by a pair strong arms. She looked to where the knife had flown in sheer panic before she looked at whoever had stopped her- and she froze.

"_What the hell do you think you're doing?!_" It was the blue eyed man from earlier who had stopped her, the last person she could've possibly expected.

**I am duper sorry for the long wait but I hope it was worth it! I know, this short for shit update was not what your were hoping for and I am the devil for leaving it at that cliffhanger, but yes, Damon had stopped her. Now what will he do to convince her stay alive for just a little longer?**

**NOW we're are officially getting into the awesome AU stuff where Amara lives on, and I'll hopefully be having the next chapter up in the next three weeks.**

**To answer a few questions:**

**_PR Salvatore_, yes, as this chapter has probably already revealed, in the scene where Damon was holding Amara when she dies in the show, he saves her in this fic. From the beginning that was my intention, and what he does afterwards will dictate Amara's decision to stay alive for the rest of the story.**

**_stordec23_ From this chapter on, yes, Amara may start to develop feelings or even a cute waddle crush for Damon. :D (Romantically or platonically is completely up to speculation) He's going to be the one who saves her this time, and since Amara is going to be alive for the duration of the story, her opinion on Damon will differ greatly from what everyone around her keeps saying otherwise.**

**That's pretty much it for now! Comment me with how you like the update or with any questions you may have!**

**Also! I have two more upcoming VD fics you may see by the end of the year besides this and BHAF. And they're both listed in my Story Stats on my profile, along with the status of this story.**

**Laters!**

**-Golden**


	9. Say anything that can make this all okay

"_Let go of me_!" Amara tried to struggle out of her captor's grasp, the latter finding her rather difficult to keep in place when she was kicking and screaming at him. Her head turned to the direction of the knife. "_Let go of me right now! Let go!_"

"Amara!" The blue eyed man shouted to get her to stop, "_Am__ara_, stop!" He was pinning her so she wouldn't try to go back for it. She tried to push him off of her, but he was too strong for her. He wasn't letting her move another inch. He wouldn't just let her go.

She punched the ground floor with one of her free fists in utter defeat and turned her face to the side.

"_Why...? Why won't you just let me die...?_" Her hair was stuck to the left side of her face as a result of her tears.

"Hey, look at me," He said, moving his hand to her face. Amara was still crying after he brushed the hair out of her eyes.

"I've been in hell for two thousand years..." She told him, sobbing.

"What's five more minutes?" He smiled nervously and shook her shoulder, "Hey, don't give up on me yet."

"_I can't promise that_..." She looked back at him shaking her head, "I _can't...just _let me die... let me go, too..."

"Too?" He whispered, and turned his body to look behind him...where Silas was lying dead. She could have sworn he just said "Dammit" under his breath. He looked back at her. "Amara, _look at me,_ listen...I know how this must feel, and I'm sorry. I lost people important to me too, even ones I thought I cared about.

"But do _you_ really want to _die_?" The way he was looking at her, determined, pleading, despairing, confused her and made her want to cry all over again, "Your immortality wasn't all it was cracked up to be, believe me, I know. But..._please_, at least don't throw it away tonight...Just one more night, I promise, and I won't interfere in your life anymore.

"If you don't want to do it for yourself, at least, do it for me...I'll only depend on you for the rest of the night..."

Amara was stunned, to say the least. No one had ever cared whether or not she lived, besides Silas. Not even her own mother. And she knew he was telling her the truth, otherwise he wouldn't be looking at her like that.

She didn't want to fight with him anymore, she was just too tired. Tired from crying, tired from struggling, tired from running, tired from everything.

"...I think..." She pulled one of her freed arms away so she can wipe her face with the back of her hand, "I want to go back now."

That was all she had to say.

The blue eyed man got off of her and stood up. He offered his hand to help her up and she meekly took it, wobbling as she stood up. Seeing this, of course, her companion bent over and picked her up with both arms.

She was so exhausted that she just rested her head against his shoulder. She held on to him and let him carry her back as she drifted off in his gentle arms.

* * *

_"Please tell me this is real."_

_"You guys can see me?"_

_"Bonnie, it worked."_

_"It worked!"_

Damon could hear the commotion going inside on his way to the front door. That was definitely Jeremy, Caroline, and Elena speaking inside. And the fourth person could only be...

He smiled. Well I'll be damned, it actually worked. He looked at Amara, who had passed out on his shoulder, silently thanking her for making this possible, but immediately frowned. He was worried about would would happen to her afterwards.

_"You're here!_

_"Thank you."_

_"Oh my god, oh my god! And we can be roommates, 'cause we have that extra bed, and we can clear out half the closet–"_

_"Caroline!"_

_"I'm sorry, I just—I can't believe you're really here!"_

_"I'm here. I'm back."_

Well, that was as good a time as any to interrupt the merry reunion, he thought. Damon opened the front door, and stepped inside with Amara in his arms. Four pairs of eyes instantaneously darted towards him, Bonnie, as he had suspected correctly, being upon them.

"Welcome back, Bon-Bon." He acknowledged in her direction.

"Thanks." She nodded.

"Is that _Amara_?" Elena walked over to Damon the moment she noticed he was holding Amara. She seemed concerned and surprised at the same time.

"Yeah," He admitted, "She had a really rough night." He sighed, "Stefan killed Silas in front of her."

"_Oh my god_," he heard Caroline gasp from behind Elena.

"Oh no," Elena distressingly put her face in her hands. She shook her head, "_Goddammit, Stefan...!_" She mumbles muffled in her hands. She took her hands of her face putting them on her hips and looking to Damon. "Okay, just put her in our room for now. Let her rest and keep her safe. We'll decide what to do from there. I'm gonna go have a talk with your brother. Meanwhile-"

"I'll stay with Bonnie," Jeremy interrupted, stopping his sister from stating the obvious. Bonnie smiled at him and took his hand in hers.

"Katherine already left," Caroline chimed in helpfully, and pointed to the door, "She's probably at our dorm, I'm gonna go kick her out." She gave Elena a thumbs-up and gave Bonnie one more hug before walking past Elena and Damon out the door.

"Okay," Elena sighed and looked back at Damon. She squeezed his shoulder. "Take care of her, okay?"

* * *

**Whooooa, Golden! Another update, barely a day of the last one! Oooo0000ooooh! Another short update, shocking I know, but think of this as a part 2 to the last chapter. And as a reward for that last hiatus.**

**Yay! Damon did it! He saved Amara! Now in the next part, Elena and Damon are gonna talk about what Amara's been through, and Elena will have a talk with her as well. Elena and Caroline are still holding a party for Bonnie. What's gonna happen? Ooooooh!**

**Amara's first day in the human world, coming soon! Also! As for that bit on Amara's mother...well, TVD didn't really do Amara's backstory prior to meeting Silas, riiighhttt? So I get free reign on her, riiiight? Right?**

**XD Anyway, I might wanna have some flashbacks to Ancient Greece later. Back to when Amara first became a handmaiden to Qetsiyah, and how she had treated Amara back then before Silas.**

**Till next update~!**

**-Golden**


	10. Your salvation has begun

"Well, that could've gone _so_ much better."

"Remind me exactly why you followed me _again_ when you were supposed to be watching Amara?"

"Because much like you, I was not convinced that killing Silas would make Stefan's...let's call them '_grievances_' go away. Besides, Amara's out like a light, and Bonnie and Jeremy are here, so she's not in any _real_ danger."

Once the two were in the foyer, Elena put her hands on her hips with a disappointed sigh. "She was today...we really screwed up with Stefan, Damon. And now he's killed Silas, and who knows how much this has traumatized Amara? Dammit..." She sat down on the couch with one of her hands resting on her forehead. Damon took the seat next to her.

"She listened to me," He reminded her, "When I asked her to stay alive tonight."

Elena looked at him with confusion for a moment, and then nodded in understanding. She took one of his hands and gripped it gently. "Another success in another day marred by failure...You did good, Damon. And I'm proud of what you did for Amara. I just wish I could have followed your example tonight." She smiled nervously.

Damon overturned his hand so that his fingers were intertwined with hers. "I know you're worried about him. I am too. And you're right, we did fail him over the summer- thank you _so_ much for reminding him of that by the way-" Elena snorted and rolled her eyes in response, "But at this point, I'm not really sure if we _can_ help him."

There was a pause, and then Elena said, "I know...that's what scares me...We're the worst."

Another pause for silence, another wordless comfort at the touch of their hands.

"Should we attempt Round 2 on him tomorrow?"

"I guess we're welcome to try, but I'm not sure how much good it'll do."

"Is that a yes?"

"That was an '_As you wish_'."

Elena scratched the side of her head, "Alright then, now that we've got that covered, on to the next order of business: What are we gonna do about Amara?"

"That, right there, is the conundrum," Damon put both his hands on his knees with heavy exasperation, "I promised her I wouldn't ask any more of her if she stayed alive for the duration of the night. And correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't you the one who implied that Amara's life was forfeit after Bonnie became the anchor?"

"When did I-?" Elena was going to ask, but immediately stopped herself, already knowing the answer. He meant when she had suggested that Tessa do the anchor swap..._Silas wants Amara to die, Amara wants Amara to die, so who, besides us, in the one person with the biggest stake against letting that happen?_

_Yep_, she thought, _I did say that, didn't I?_ At that point in time, she knew that Tessa would not let Amara die as long as she was the anchor. But she remembered when she overheard Tessa talk to Amara. She would make Bonnie the anchor, but after that? She would have killed Amara.

"I didn't...mean it like that..." She responded to Damon's earlier inquiry, "But you are right about one thing. I was only concerned with Bonnie coming back. I didn't even think about what would happen to Amara-

"Actually, no," Elena shook her head, "I take that back. I knew _perfectly well _what would have happened to her- either Silas or Tessa would have killed her, or she would have taken her own life- but I didn't care. As long as Bonnie's alive, right?" She looked at the floor, running her hand through her hair, before looking Damon in the eye, "I need to talk to her. When she wakes up, we'll make her breakfast, maybe I can lend her some clothes and-!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Damon stood up and gripped Elena's shoulders, "Slow your roll, Super Girl. Suicide Watch was one thing, but do you _really_ think she wants full rehab now? Tessa's dead, she just witnessed my brother kill Silas, and I already promised her-"

"But _you_ are not breaking your promise to her," she argued, "It's me breaking your promise, I'll be sure to tell her that you tried to stop me-!"

"Honestly though? What are you gonna do, Elena? Tell her that the world isn't so bad and she just _has_ to give life another chance because how oh-so-precious it is? I don't see that working out for you."

"Damon," She put her hands on his forearms, and looked at him reassuringly, "Two thousand years of her life were wasted in a storage box. I, at the very least, want to give her another chance at a good human life."

* * *

Amara didn't remember falling asleep like this.

Her eyes were still closed, but nonetheless she was awake, and she immediately knew something was wrong. _Something's not right, something is wrong, wrong...why am I wrapped in cotton? Why am I warm...?_

But what probably scared her most was the noise, or rather the lack of noise._ Why can't I hear anything...?_

Her eyes flickered open and she bolted upright. She didn't recognize the room she was in, although she could assume it was within the sleeping chambers in the household. However, what she was currently lying on top of was more...extravagant than anything she has seen or touched in her lifetime. _But why was I put here of all places...? Everything feels like silk..._

"Oh, Amara! I didn't realize you'd be awake."

Amara didn't even realize that the door was open until a familiar voice spoke up, carrying a glass of water.

"Hi Elena," she meekly greeted her doppelgänger, who smiled warmly in acknowledgement.

"Hey," Elena responded, "I, uh, brought you some water." She walked over to the bedside and handed the glass to Amara.

"...Thank you," she accepted the glass, and sipped the water inside.

"No problem. If you're hungry at all, just let me know, and I'll whip you up something downstairs." After Amara had drunk her fill, Elena set the glass elsewhere. Elena had a troubled look on her face when she turned back to Amara. Before Amara could ask about it though, Elena started talking.

"Bonnie...my friend, I mean, came back last night..."

The words didn't register to Amara immediately. At first, she thought, "Why bring the witch up all of a sudden?" But she stopped herself, because she had already figured it out. The witch she had met the previous night became the anchor, and that is what the spell had been for. Amara placed her head on her hands. _No, no, no...How could this- How could Qetsiyah knowingly hand that role over to someone else?! The pain of being the anchor...the agony of feeling every death...?_

"She's the anchor to the Other Side now..."

_No wonder I couldn't hear anything this morning...no wonder I didn't wake up in pain...Because it's been shoved on to someone else...!_

Amara came so close to screaming, to shaking Elena's shoulders and demand _why she would do that to her friend...!_

But the way Elena had treated her last night, and the way she was looking at her right now with confusion and concern...it didn't add up. Would a person like her knowingly, purposely, have resurrected their best friend only to subject her to the burden of never ending pain for the rest of her life? _It seems unlikely...maybe Qetsiyah purposely omitted that information from them._

Amara thought that maybe she could speak to the witch- or rather Bonnie, as her double had referred to her- about what she had personally gone through after being brought back and-

Elena put her hand on Amara's shoulder with a concerned look on her face. _I guess she is waiting for me to say something...Does she really care...?_

"Wow. I'm-I'm at a loss for words...After two thousand years of...hearing, seeing, _feeling_ nothing except for the dead, I should think I am supposed to be happy...but I'm not."

"That's understandable..."

"Elena?" Amara looked at Elena pleadingly, "_Please_, I need your honest opinion...What should I do...?"

Elena said nothing, she just...stared at Amara with an unreadable expression. When she spoke again, her eyes softened, "Amara, I don't want to force you into anything, and in the end it's really up to you..."

Amara internally shook her head, she didn't want that vague answer. _No, no, please I need someone to tell me what to do...I'm useless on my own..._

Elena paused, "But I want you to understand...your life was taken away from you for two thousand years, and none of that was your fault. I think this is a good chance to start over in a new world, and in all honesty? You deserve that much..."

Amara sat up on the bed and averted her gaze to her lap. She was quiet for a few moments before coming clean about what was on her mind.

"A chance to start over...Is that even possible for someone like me...?"

Elena smiled warmly.

"I think it's at least worth a shot..." She stated hopefully, "What do you say?"

Truth be told, Amara wasn't sure it was an entirely good idea. She was sure Elena's heart was in the right place, but she was positive she was about to enter "_The Twilight Zone"_, to borrow a phrase she heard on the Other Side. She was stepping into completely unknown ground, two thousand years later nonetheless, and unlike her deceased lover (_God bless his sou_l), she didn't have mind reading abilities to easily walk among the modern society.

But in the very back of her cerebellum, there was a part of her that wanted to do it. The same part that believed Elena when she offered a fresh start, a human life that she gave up so long ago.

Amara looked at Elena with a look of absolute resolution.

"I...I never _really_ wanted to die anyway. I-I want to do it..."

Elena's movement blurred before her eyes, and before she knew it, Amara was being embraced in her doppelgänger's slender arms.

"_Thank you for trusting me..._" Elena whispered softly against Amara's shoulder, but Amara heard her regardless. And she wanted to cry all over again.

* * *

When Elena released her, she had fully gone into planning mode.

"Okay, I still have some of my old clothes that I think will fit you until we can get you your own set. I'm going to show you how to work the shower and use some of the washes. Oh hey! Speaking of which Bonnie is going to get her hair cut today, would you like to get _your_ hair done maybe sometime soon?"

Amara simply nodded. Although she didn't understand half of Elena's ramblings, getting her hair cut wasn't a bad idea. When she lived in Greece, women her age had cut their hair when they were in mourning. _I need to properly mourn them before I can move on with this new life..._

And speaking of Bonnie, Amara needed to discuss with her about what she agreed to in terms of being the anchor.

"...I would like that very much, t-thank you..."

"Okay! Now, just follow me into the bathroom and I'll show you how to work everything."

"Elena?"

The doppelgänger turned to her with an inquiring look, "Yes?"

_My last question about last night...a terrible night without question, but I need to know..._

"About last night..." Amara began shakily, "I want to know...the man who rescued me yesterday...the blue eyed man who knocked the knife out of my hand..." _I want to thank him when I have the chance..._

"Damon."

"Huh?"

Elena smiled at Amara earnestly as she opened the bathroom door, "His name is Damon."

* * *

**Another long wait for this, but I hope it was worth it! Coming up: Amara in normal clothes, a fun game called "What does that do?", and prepping for Amara's first modern party!**

**Until next update!**


	11. Author's Note: TAD Story Revision

**Hello readers. **

**Holy crap, yeah, the writer has finally risen from her grave to update her own freaking story?! Well, yes and no.**

**First off, I'd like to apologize to those of you who were following this story with anticipation. I'm in my senior year of high school, and let me tell you, the year was less than kind and gave me no time to update. Second, I've had time to look back since then to look back on old chapters, and some of it was rather cringeworthy.**

**So with that I've have decided to give this story a full revamp (Pun intended…?)! I've improved on my own writing drastically since I began this story so long ago, and I am graduating on Friday, so I can dedicate more time to Amara's tale that I have neglected for almost a year, and she deserves better than that. **

**So what to expect? The chapters will definitely be longer, and the ones I've written so far will be updated. I will be posting a new version of "The Alternate Destiny I Was Given", and I will delete this version once all the chapters I've written so far are redone and reposted**

**Also this story will now be going under a new name: "The Price of Living".**

**It will still have the same cover photo and summary, so don't worry about not being able to recognize it.**

**So expect "The Price of Living" around July 9th, for those of you willing to give this story another chance.**

**With that, I am off!**

**-Golden**


	12. Author's Note: Story Revision UPDATE

**Hey guys, I'm back on for the first time in a while! It's definitely been too long and I hardly have any excuse for the lateness for this besides "college".**

**But I arrive with some good news!**

**I've said in the last A/N that "The Alternate Destiny I Was Given" was being rewritten. I've already passed the date I said I was going to have the new version up and I'd like to apologize for that.**

**But I got some sudden inspiration, I have a better idea of how I want to do this story! So instead of doing it chapter by chapter, I'm going to attempt to do the actual episodes by chapter, so the events of 5x07 will just be in one chapter and so on. (So chapters 1-4 in this story are just going to be one chapter in the new version, albeit heavily edited.) **

**However, in order to give Amara the development she deserves, I may change the time of certain canonical events. This will mean longer chapters in either case, and possibly slightly longer waits. But I won't let this story slip again. I will also happily take some suggestions if you have any! :)**

**So the rewritten version of this story, called "The Price of Living" will be posted between 2/04 and 2/14. So pretty soon!**

**Hope I'll be seeing some of you there :)**

**-Golden**


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